Health Care

  Health Care


We get phone calls and e-mails from time to time for information on the Bulldog breed. How to care for their new puppy, information along with health issues that could affect their bulldog. We will be glad to help you in any way we can. We feel it is very important to educate owners about the breed. Unfortunately there are many bulldog owners who are patted on the back and told good luck with your new puppy, and they are unaware of the issues that could affect their bulldog, this is not fair to the owner or the bulldog.


Sturdy and vigorous, the English Bulldog is a courageous but lovable breed that enjoys a lifespan of some 8 to 12 years.
However, despite its vigor, the Bulldog can suffer from a variety of genetic health problems.
Here is more info on the three most common health problems: entropion (an eyelid defect), elongated soft palate (causes breathing difficulties), and hip dysplasia. 

Entropion

Entropion occurs when the rim of the eyelid turns inward and touches the eyeball. When this happens, the eyelid blocks the tear ducts and the eyelid hairs and lushes rub against the cornea, causing irritation and damage.
It can occur in either upper or lower eyelids, in one or both eyes. Seen in many breeds, entropion is the most common congenital defect of the eyelids and has strong, heritable components, incidence in Bulldogs is conservatively 20-30 percent.
Entropion is thought to be influenced by several genes, which define such factors as the skin and other structures that make up the eyelids; the amount and weight of skin covering the head and face; the orbital contents (the bony skull cavity that contains the eye socket); and the shape of the skull.
Entropion can also be cause by injury (usually the case if the problem shows up in adult dogs).

Heritable entropion usually is seen in a young dog by the time it is a few months of age.

The first thing a new owner might see is a runny eye, because the tear ducts are covered and the tears spill over the eyelid.
You might also see squinting, excess tears, reddened eyes and discharge from the eye.

 

Elongated Soft Palates

Elongated soft palates occur in brachycephalic dogs, that is, dogs bred to have pushed-in faces.
This genetic trait is an inherited development in which the jaw bones develop normally in width but not in length, causing several anatomical and physiological problems.
Most, if not all brachycephalic dogs have breathing problems to some extent.

One of these problems includes an abnormally long soft palate (fleshy tissue separating the oral cavity from the nasal passage) that extends partially into the airway, partly obstructing the free flow of air, as a result, affected dogs exert an increased effort to obtain sufficient amounts of air.

Clinical signs of an elongated soft palate may occur at any age, but is primary seen between the ages of 1 and 4-years.
These signs include noisy breathing, increased effort to inhale and exercise intolerance.
These symptoms become more pronounced during exercise or if the dog becomes excited, stressed or overheated.

Correction involves surgical reduction of the fleshy portion of the soft palate that hangs over the airway.
Care after surgery consists of feeding soft foods, administering antibiotics and providing ice water to relieve the pain for about 10 days.
Permanent correction and full resolution is usually achieved by surgery.

 

Hip Dysplasia

Chronic hip dysplasia (CHD) is the most common heritable orthopedic disease in dogs.
For unknown reasons, a malformation of the hip joint occurs in which the head of the femur fails to fir properly into the acetabulum (socket of the pelvis that connects with the head of the femur to form the hip joint).
As a result, the hip joint is loose, and partial to complete dislocation of the head of the femur can occur.
Additionally, because the joint doesn’t fir together properly, abnormal weight distribution and rubbing of the joint surfaces can occur, resulting in inflammation, pain and cartilage damage.
This, in turn leads to osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease. Once this process is started, it’s irreversible.

In severe cases, earliest clinical signs of CHD can be seen in dogs as young as 4 months of age, milder cases may not be noticed until the dog grows older and develops arthritis in the joint.
Many factors contribute to CHD. First, it is believed to be polygenic diseases, meaning that several defective genes contribute to the disease and severity of its expression.
In addition, CHD is also affected by environmental factors, such as a rapid growth rate promoted by overfeeding and over-or under-supplementation of carbohydrates, calcium and phosphorus.

Treatment options include surgery (hip reconstruction or replacement) and medical management (pain control, exercise, weight management and drugs or supplements to modify cartilage and bone metabolism).

 

 

Bulldogs are prone to a number of health problems. It would be next to impossible to list every possible problem;
this is NOT to say that YOUR bulldog will have all these problems, just that these are fairly common problems!
Heat Stroke: Bulldogs are prone to heat stroke because they cannot pant well enough to disperse heat. Provide your dog with plenty of water and shade.
Most dogs enjoy a child's wading pool during the summer months.
Facial Fold Dermatitis: Some bulldogs have heavy wrinkling above the nose; these need to be kept clean and checked often.
EYE PROBLEMS
Cherry Eye: The tear gland of the third eyelid becomes enlarged, often to the size of a marble. It would be on the inside corner of the eye.
Distichiasis: Small hairs abnormally grow on the inner surface or the edge of the eyelids.
Entropian: The lower lid margins of the eye roll inward, causing hair to rub the eye.
Ectropian: The lower lid margins of the eye roll outward, rather than inward like the entropian.
All of these conditions can be repaired with a very minor and relatively inexpensive surgery, but it is better to avoid them.
Hypo Thyroidism: An "underactive" thyroid gland; not enough thyroxin is being produced by the thyroid gland.
Pyometra: All unspayed female dogs are prone to pyometra, but the bulldog is particularly prone. Pyometra follows a heat cycle, typically within 2-4 months.
Gastric Torsion or Bloat: The stomach becomes excessively dilated with gas. As the stomach swells, it can rotate or twist on its axis.
Hip Dysplasia: The ball and socket of the hips do not fit each other well. More than 80% of bulldogs have poorly fitting hips.
Hemivertebrae: Defect in the bottom half of the vertebral body of the spinal cord.
Stenotic Nares: Pinched nostrils.
Demodex Mange: There are 2 forms of this skin disease: localized and generalized. Dogs with generalized demodex should not be bred.
Tracheal Hypoplasia: Underdeveloped trachea or windpipe.
Elongated Soft Palate: Excessive tissue in the rear of the mouth
Click on the bully to get all the information you will need to potty train your English/French Bulldog:





















 

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